Turkey: 780 People in Jail for Links to ISIL

At least 780 people, including 350 foreigners, remain in detention — some of whom have been convicted — for suspected links to the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) terrorist group, according to the Turkish Justice Ministry.

The Justice Ministry released a report on Wednesday saying a total of 725 people, who are suspected of being ISIL members, were currently in prison. An additional 55 have already been convicted for being members of the extremist group.

Moreover, the report states 73 people have been convicted of being members of the al-Qaeda extremist organization — 10 others are still detained.

Since 2015, Turkey has been fighting several extremist groups both at home and along its border with Syria. It combats ISIL and PKK/PYD along its border in northern Syria, as well as the extremist groups’ networks inside Turkey.